This deck has only been tested a couple times, but I’ve found it to be quite successful. It lost by only 1 point to Brian Min’s Cyclops Army deck, and it defeated Trossell’s Horrible Triangle I think it’s within 3 cards of being fully tweaked in each portion.
Start:
Thrain II / Cram
Bombur
Dori
Galadriel / Elfstone
In Deck:
Bifur
Bofur
Nori
Oin
Gloin
Balin
Celeborn
Resources:
3 An Unexpected Party
3 A Chance Meeting
2 A Friend or Three
1 Forewarned is Forearmed
2 Marvels Told
2 Mirror of Galadriel
3 Longbottom Leaf
3 Smoke Rings
3 Noble Steed
1 Orcrist
1 Wormsbane
1 Gold Belt of Lorien
1 Durin’s Axe
1 Easterlings
Hazards:
1 Adunaphel
1 Bairanax Ahunt
1 Daelomin at Home
1 Gandalf the White Rider
1 Hoarmurath of Dir
1 Khamul the Easterling
1 Mouth of Sauron
1 My Precious
1 Ren the Unclean
1 Scatha Ahunt
1 Uvatha the Horseman
1 Dror
1 Baduila
1 Golodhros
1 Sellswords Between Charters
1 Landroval
2 Ent in Search of Entwives
1 Wild Fell Beast
2 Heedless Revelry
1 Revealed to All Watchers
3 River
1 Seized by Terror
3 Twilight
1 Unabated in Malice
Key Sideboard Cards:
1 A Friend or Three
1 Glamour of Surpasssing Excellence
1 Men of Dorwinion
1 Nenya
1 Sapling
1 The White Tree
1 Tower Guard of MT
1 The Arkenstone
3 Show Things Unbidden
1 The Riddle Game
2 Withdrawn to Mordor
Play Tips:
Galadriel waits for Celeborn at Lorien. They become 6 mind worth of 5 MP squatting sages playing Mirror, Show Things Unbidden, Marvels, Nenya….
Meanwhile, the Dwarves leave Lorien (they took Gal there to protect her from skin-changers in all likelihood) with an unexpected party (don’t lose it first turn if they do escort her: her mind is too high!). Keep getting more dwarves in the site phases until you’ve got (hopefully) at least Thrain, Gloin, Balin, and Oin for 14 mind and 8 MPs. Get the Arkenstone if you’re worried your opponent will grab it. It’s quite powerful, especially when you’ve got Nenya and Friend or Three to help.
The hazards are mainly denial cards: either they keep you from getting hurt or they hurt minions who chase you.
Your main sites are: Easterling Camp, The Lonely Mountain, Buhr Widu, Dead Marshes. Sideboard in the Men of Dorwinion if you have trouble with the Easterlings. Sideboard in the White Tree combo if you have extra time. It’s a doozy.
MP Breakdown:
Character: 10-13
Ally: 2-3
Item: 8-12
Faction: 4-7
Misc: 0-5
Total: 24-35